Sylvania: Offer made to help with update plan for land use
10/19/2005A Sylvania-area development committee has offered to coordinate an update of a land-use plan for the city and Sylvania Township.
The Sylvania Community Improvement Corporation has led similar efforts since 1988. Its recent offer is in response to a decision by township trustees to embark on a land-use plan without the city's input.
Dennis Boyle, chairman of the trustees, said he had heard of the CIC proposal but had not seen a letter from the group.
"I need to find out the specifics of what they want to do'' before deciding whether to abandon the township's current direction toward a new master plan or accept the CIC offer, he said. He had sent a letter to the city asking to appoint a council member or a member of the City Plan Commission to serve on the township's land-use committee. In response, Mayor Craig Stough wrote that he favored a joint master plan and that it seemed the township "has apparently now decided to abandon the concept of a joint master plan altogether.''
He wrote that "a joint master plan can buoy the ongoing commitment of our two Sylvania governments to cooperate and coordinate for the well-being of all Sylvanians.''
Carol Contrada, a trustee and a member of the CIC, said the township never meant to keep the CIC or the city from involvement.
The western portion of the township has land available for development and there are often ideas floated for what may happen in the area. Ms. Contrada said there is a concern that the township plan and zoning code needs to reflect increased buffering between commercial and residential areas such as what's in place along Central Avenue.
Joseph Gerdenich, president of the CIC, said the offer is to update the master plan adopted by both the township and the city.
If the offer is accepted, he said the CIC will meet in an "exploratory'' session with the city and the township to define the process and to hire a consultant that would aid a committee conploratory'' session with the city and the township to define the process and to hire a consultant that would aid a committee considering issues for an updated master plan.
Because it is an update and because a future plan for the Central Avenue corridor has already been determined by the township,
Ms. Contrada said the CIC will be asked to make a presentation to the township trustees to discuss the role the corporation might play in the master plan process.
Contact Mike Jones at:
mjones@theblade.com
or 419-724-6096